Dishonourable Mention
by MashyPoo
Summary: Dr.Jack Stewart is back in town for an awards ceremony. Amanda, Mark and Steve are pleased to see him, but someone certainly is not. Jack soon sees maybe returning was the worst decision as old feelings are stirred up, good and bad and murderous...
1. What Keeps You So Far Away?

TITLE: DIAGNOSIS MURDER STORY: DISHONOURABLE MENTION

(Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine, I wish I was that good but I'm not)

NOTE: This is my first ever upload on this site which I LOVE! I have really enjoyed the vast array of (DM) fanfiction and would very much love to be a part of it. I hope you guys remember Dr. Jack Stewart, he was portrayed by Scott Baio, for the first two seasons, before (in the show) leaving to open a private practice in Colorado where he could ski all day ahaha. I really loved the chemistry between him and Amanda which is why I brought him back in this story. But don't worry Jesse Travis fans, he's in there somewhere!

CHARACTERS: Jack/Amanda/Mark/Steve/Jesse

CHAPTER 1: WHAT KEEPS YOU SO FAR AWAY?

It had been 6 years since Jack Stewart left to open a private practice in Colorado. 6 years too long in Amanda Bentley's opinion. She strolled down the halls of Community General Hospital having just finished her rounds.  
Long time divorcée with two sons, she was a strong woman with a kind heart. She passed by Dr Mark Sloan's office, and decided to drop in just to say hi to her old friend. As she knocked and opened the door she was struck by the fact that she still expected to see Jack Stewart's charming grin staring back at her as he lounged on the sofa in Mark's office, ready and waiting with some playful teasing to which she could retort.  
An odd emotion danced at the edges of her heart with the reality that he was gone.  
"Hey Mark, how are things?" She smiled at the silver haired gentleman seated behind the large oak desk to the right of the room.  
"Amanda! What a coincidence! I was just about to come looking for you!"  
"I have great news!" He continued at her questioning look.  
"Jack called"  
"He did?" Amanda interrupted  
"Yes and we will be seeing him very soon! He's one of the doctors that's been nominated for a special award to be presented at the Chamberlain hotel in a week or so"  
"Oh yeah, I heard Norman mumbling something about that. Impressive" Amanda said trying to remain as composed as possible when all she wanted to do was punch the air in joy. Jack was coming back. Even if only for a little while.  
"So…" she continued in what she hoped was a calm manner, as if the subject of a more-than-dear friend returning was somewhat passé "When is he arriving?"  
"Oh.. .I'd say sometime… Now. He called me from the plane, said he'd be landing in a couple hours"  
Amanda's eyes bulged, her thoughts went immediately to what she would say, how she would say it, but she had no clue.  
She realised there was a silence to be filled.  
"Hmm. Just like him to leave it so last minute to let us know" she said with a chuckle.  
"Same old Jack" Mark agreed.  
_I certainly hope so_ Amanda thought to herself.


	2. Grounding All My Dreams

DIAGNOSIS MURDER STORY: DISHONOURABLE MENTION

(Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine, I wish I was that good but I'm not)

CHAPTER 2: GROUNDING ALL MY DREAMS

Jack Stewart gazed out the airplane window rather unseeingly. He hadn't been able to focus since his feet had last touched the ground. The sad thing was he didn't mean since the plane had taken off, but rather the last time he was at Community General Hospital.  
His time so far in Colorado had been a bit of a haze. He had been so settled, nestled firmly under Mark's wing and in Amanda' s glowing presence with the Los Angeles heat beating down, that Colorado had been like something out of a story book. If it was a fairytale or not, he couldn't quite decide. He couldn't even remember why he left as he watched the L.A. skyline from a distance. He felt home for the first time in a long while.

_He'll be here soon_  
Amanda's mantra for the last hour and a half or so really hadn't helped.  
She had been off duty for a while now and simply sat on the sofa in Mark's office, thinking about the last time she had seen Jack Stewart.  
It wasn't the best time. They didn't part ways on bad terms, but they could have been better.  
He never quite gave a reason for his leaving, when she asked him why he chose to go he simply made a vague comment and flashed her an (in)famous grin.  
Mark was pacing around holding a phone to his ear.  
"Hey, Steve, he's there? Amanda Steve's just managed to find him in the airport haha.. oh okay.. yeah sure see you in a bit.. Amanda wanna say hi?"  
"Maybe later" She managed a weak smile  
"She says later..okay see you both in a half hour or so, bye now"  
Mark snapped the phone shut.  
"Apparently the first thing Jack said to Steve as he saw him was that he was getting to look more like me everyday! I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he meant that as a compliment"  
Amanda barely heard him  
"Amanda are you okay?" Mark quizzed, concerned  
"Huh? Yeah fantastic"  
_Absolutely fantastic_  
"Oh good, its just you seem to be off in your own world.. Uh.. well I've got rounds to finish up before they arrive, so I better get going. You alright on your own?"  
"Yeah of course, and if I get really lonely I'll go talk to Norman!" She joked, to lighten the mood.  
"I don't think anyone would do anything so crazy! Haha see you in a little while"  
"Bye Mark" She smiled after him as he walked out the door. What a lovely man.  
Why couldn't she feel for Jack what she did for Mark and Steve, pure and simple friendship, why did it always have to be so complicated with him?  
_He always did catch me by surprise._  
And she was gone, lost in thought.


	3. Somewhere Weakness Is Our Strength

DIAGNOSIS MURDER STORY: DISHONOURABLE MENTION

(Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine, I wish I was that good but I'm not)

CHAPTER 3: SOMEWHERE WEAKNESS IS OUR STRENGTH

"So Steve" Jack began in his Brooklyn accent  
"Whats everyone been up to these days? Mourning my absence continuously I presume?" He asked with a smile  
"Naturally haha" Steve replied  
"Colorado been good to you?"  
"Yeah. Skiing's good. I suppose you already know I only.."  
"'_Only have to work mornings and ski all afternoon_' Yeah a little birdie told me" Steve finished  
"Aww, you can finish my sentences! I didn't know we were such kindred spirits" Jack teased  
Steve simply shook his head and slowed the car as he approached the parking lot of Community General Hospital.  
A lump formed in Jack's throat. _This is gonna be interesting _He thought, to say the least.  
"How's Amanda doing?" he asked trying to be nonchalant  
"She's been good" Steve replied  
"Oh right, that's nice" Jack said feeling slightly robbed of a decent reply. But what was he expecting? A detailed account of Amanda's thoughts, feelings and actions since he left?  
Steve pulled the car to a stop and got out. Jack remained fixated on the sign declaring "COMMUNITY GENERAL HOSPITAL"  
"Jack, come on, I haven't got all night you know?"  
"Coming, precious" Jack goofed  
"I'm surprised Mr. B hasn't turned this place into an all night casino by now, I half-expected there to be a flashing neon sign" Jack said as he got out of the car.  
Steve couldn't help but let out a chuckle at this. Norman Briggs was known for his tight pursestrings, or to be accurate, purse that was welded shut with titanium only to let money in and not out.  
"Come on" Steve said as he lead the way through into the brightly lit hospital.

Jack's heart filled with a warm sort of joy as he took in his new (or should he say old?) surroundings.  
Everything was exactly as he left it. You could blindfold him and he would still be able to find his way to wherever you told him to in the hospital.  
Steve was walking slightly ahead of Jack, leaving Jack to enjoy the sights a little longer. On their way to Mark's office they passed the nurses' station. Jack's presence turned more than a few heads,  
but he hardly noticed as he thought of what awaited him no more than 20 feet away.


	4. Bless This Mess

DIAGNOSIS MURDER STORY: DISHONOURABLE MENTION

(Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine, I wish I was that good but I'm not)

CHAPTER 4: BLESS THIS MESS

Laughter danced through the air and straight into Amanda's semi-conscious mind. She had fallen asleep in Mark's office waiting for Jack. Mark was late getting back from rounds. She smiled at the comforting sound before being awoken by a loud rapping on the door.  
"Anyone home?" a jaunty but familiar voice rang through the solid wood  
She couldn't help but allow a huge grin to spread across her face, although there was no one in the room to see it... yet.  
She took a deep breath and began to close the gap between her and the door.  
She was a few steps towards the handle before the door closed the gap for her and swung open into her face, knocking her to the floor.

Jack's eyes grew wide with worry as soon as he saw her on the floor, he could hear Steve chuckling quietly to himself in the hall.  
"Amanda, I missed you" Jack began  
"But my aim's getting better" He finished with a wink, as he helped her to her feet, he simply couldn't help himself, the charm just radiated from him in all directions. The laughing from the hall grew slightly louder.  
Amanda even managed a smile although she was pretty sure she had multiple contusions to her face and neck.  
"Hello Jack" She couldn't match his wit after being dealt such a blow, but it didn't matter to him, this was all he had wanted to hear for so long, and he knew their famously quick witted bickering would start up in no time.  
"Are you alright?" Jack said, unable to hide his worry any longer, even if to put her at ease.  
"Yeah, my neck's ever so slightly broken, but I think I'll survive" she retorted with a grin.  
"Oh right, okay" He breathed with a small smile.  
Jack could've stood there with her for hours, but his hotel reservation was expecting him.  
He realised he had caught her gaze for too long and had to break the silence.  
"Hey, sorry I gotta go, places to go, people to see" Jack said in a mock egotistical manner.  
"...All expenses paid hotels to take advantage of?" Amanda finished for him.  
"Exactly. Haha Tell Mark I'll see him soon as okay?"  
"Alright sure, where are you staying anyhow?" She quizzed  
"At the Chamberlain Hotel itself, right above the hall where they're holding the awards ceremony, its where everyone expecting an award is staying"  
"Oh right, I see, so I guess its too far for these doctors to get to the venue, unless they're staying in the place itself" Amanda said dripping with sarcasm.  
"You know us so well" Jack replied, equally sarcastically, as he moved towards the door.  
"I'll see ya Amanda" he called towards her as he went to accompany Steve who was waiting less-than-patiently in the hall.  
"Bye Jack" she called back, and with that he was gone.  
She felt good for the first time in a long time.


	5. For You I Will Like Green Eggs And Ham

DIAGNOSIS MURDER STORY: DISHONOURABLE MENTION

(Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine, I wish I was that good but I'm not)

CHAPTER 5: FOR YOU I WILL LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM

"You know, it's wonderful that you're receiving this award" Mark said to his old protegé with whom he was reunited that day over breakfast in the hospital cafeteria.  
"Jealous?" Jack grinned, eyeing the eggs on his plate a little warily.  
"Well I might be if I was a little clearer on what it was for" Mark cocked his head to listen.  
"Its the Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award for Distinguished Work In Basic Medical Research" Jack responded, finally deciding that maybe hospital eggs were supposed to look like they had been regurgitated by a bird and set about satiating his hunger accordingly.  
"Distinguished? You?" A familiar female voice rang out from somewhere behind the two.  
"Good morning to you too Amanda" he smiled.  
"And I'll have you know that I am very distinguished, I drink lattes" He continued, pointing to the steaming cup on his tray.  
"Oh Jack please, the homeless guy on my street drinks lattes" Amanda laughed  
"And I don't live near homeless guys" Jack finished, raising his eyebrows.  
Amanda simply scoffed and moved to hand Mark some patient charts, she loved how easily they had slipped back into their old routine, as if he had never left.  
"Thanks Amanda" Mark gave her a warm smile as he took the charts from her.  
"Oh Amanda, by the way, I've been invited to the awards ceremony Jack is going to, the invitation is a plus one, so I was wondering if you would like to accompany me? I don't want to look like an old quack turning up on my own"  
"Oh Mark I would love to" Amanda beamed  
"And don't you worry, you'll look like an old quack no matter who you're with" She finished laughing, leaving Mark's face with a mock shocked expression, as if he couldn't quite believe what she was saying.  
Then something occurred to her quite latently  
"Jack, why are you here? At the hospital I mean? I thought you were provided with an all expenses paid hotel, including breakfast"  
"Sounds like you don't want me around" Jack chuckled  
"No! No... I was simply curious"  
"I wanted to spend as much time as possible with old friends, okay? Even if it means digging into these at 9 in the morning" He said, holding up his fork, which Amanda could just about make out as eggs.  
"The sacrifices I make for you" Jack sighed, acting the playful martyr.


	6. I'm Not The Way You Think I Am

DIAGNOSIS MURDER STORY: DISHONOURABLE MENTION

(Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine, I wish I was that good but I'm not)

NOTE: I hope you are enjoying it so far. If you are reading this I'm gonna assume you are cos you've come this far. DON'T GO BACK NOW! Obviously its not complete yet. I'm not sure how many chapters there will be, but I want this story to work more than just a beginning, middle and end. I hope you've got the patience!  And also apologies if the chapter titles seem irrelevant, they're honestly not. Trust me. hahaha

CHAPTER 6: I'M NOT THE WAY YOU THINK I AM

"Okay, so there's gotta be ONE thing you missed about me" Jack pushed  
"Well... If I'm being honest here..." Amanda hesitated  
"Yes, yes you are"  
"I missed how you talked"  
"Aw see, now was that so hard? Being nice"  
"I mean WHAT you said was total B.S., but I liked how you said it" Amanda finished with a flourish and a smile as she went to help herself to a cup of coffee.  
"Thats the welcome I get" Jack commented to Mark holding up his hands in defeat.  
"Well I missed you Jack" Mark assured him.  
"Thanks Mark"  
"Hey, Mark, have you seen Susan anywhere? We're supposed to be meeting here, but that was 15 minutes ago" A young doctor came in, looking rather concerned. Jack had never seen him before.  
"Oh hey Jesse, no, no I haven't. But have you met Jack? He was a doctor here at Community General before you came"  
"Hey how you doing?" Jack said extending his hand towards the doctor he now knew as Jesse  
"Good thanks, you?" Jesse replied accepting his hand.  
"Yeah, great, weather's a little warmer than I remembered but that's global warming for ya" Jack chuckled  
Jesse spotted Susan further up the hall just then  
"Well it was nice meeting you Jack, but I gotta run, see you Mark and you too Amanda" He said already half way out the door, eyes glued to the blonde nurse, trying to determine the exact coordinates of her position.  
"Susan! Hey Susan!" His voice faded as the door to the doctor's lounge shut behind him.  
"I like him" Jack grinned,  
"He's very er... diligent in his affairs"  
"Mark, Mark, where are you Mark?!" An unpleasantly familiar voice rang through the corridor outside the doctor's lounge.  
"Oh no.." Mark couldn't help but mutter under his breath  
An out-of-breath Norman Briggs almost collapsed through the door  
"Hola Amigos" He greeted the room without looking  
"Mark. I've been looking all over for you! If I didn't know any better I'd say you were hiding from me"  
"Yeah" was all Mark could muster, not wanting to provoke this tightly wound man any further  
"Yes. Well. Anyway what I wanted to see you about. The hospital's revenue for this month.."  
"Hey Norman! Look who's here!" Mark smiled and turned towards his lifesaver.  
"Hey, long time no see Mr. B" Jack flashed his signature smile, but it would not have the desired effect on this man.  
"Well hello, Dr. Stewart. May I inquire as to what you are doing back?"  
"You know.. Old friends, old town, old award ceremonies..."  
"Award ceremonies? Oh yes. So it is true. I didn't believe it when I heard it. You. Nominated."  
"Yes. Me. Nominated." Jack raised his eyebrows as a small smile played at the corners of his face, he forgot about the plethora of entertainment Norman Briggs used to provide for him during his time at Community General, Jack was the only one laughing, but still.  
"Well I congratulate you Dr. Stewart." Norman finished with a sharp nod in his direction.  
"Anyway Mark.. about the hospital's revenue.."  
"Ooh would you look at the time? I have rounds to get started on. Maybe later Norman" Mark said, barely glancing at his wristwatch as he made his way out of the doctor's lounge.  
Jack couldn't help but letting out a loud laugh as Mark left, the poor man was still being dogged by Norman Briggs after all this time.  
His laughter abruptly stopped with a sharp look from Norman, he could feel the daggers being sent his way, courtesy of Briggs' eyes.  
Norman left in a huff and his footsteps could be heard even once he was a good 30ft from the lounge.  
"It never gets old does it?" Jack said, turning to Amanda who had being watching the whole scene while nursing a cup of coffee.  
"I couldn't even begin to tell you the things I've witnessed" She laughed  
"Well you're gonna, starting with Briggs, I'm gonna need some good material for my acceptance speech on Saturday"  
"Acceptance speech? So you've already won?"  
"No. But I'm gonna. I mean, who could resist this face?" Jack said pointing at himself and wearing the corniest smile known to man.  
Amanda raised her hand  
"Oh haha very funny, maybe you should do my speech for me" he said, following her as she got up to leave.  
"You couldn't afford me." She said as she opened the door into the hall. She drunk the rest of her coffee and tossed it towards the nearest bin.  
"SHE SHOOTS.. SHE DOESN'T SCORE! What. A. Surprise" Jack said in a mock commentator's voice.  
"I will see you later Jack" she continued ignoring his comment as she went to place the cup in the trash and sashayed away in her desired direction.  
"Yeah see ya" Jack stood watching her go and smiled to himself.


End file.
